Hara Hara Shankara, Jaya Jaya Shankara

Thursday, July 3, 2014

RAMA and KRISHNA - A Comparison

The two itihasas - Ramayana and Mahabharatha encompass the two avatars of Lord Vishnu - Rama and Krishna. Quite contrasting in their character, they set different examples to us.

Rama was born in the palace as a royal prince on Navami, Krishna was born in the jail on Ashtami.

Rama was born amidst joy and celebrations, Krishna was born amidst fear and anxiety.

Rama was born in summer during the day time, Krishna was born in the rainy season in the thick of the night

Rama was fair complexioned, Krishna was dark in complexion

Rama was a sober child, disciplined and adhered to what his parents told him while krishna was a naughty little boy who entralled everyone with his mystic plays and pranks

Rama strictly followed the 'Eka Patni Vrata' that he would not marry anyone else other than Sita while Krishna married more than 16000 ladies the reason being given in my blogpost: http://lahariguru.blogspot.in/2013/06/rama-and-krishna-get-your-facts-right.html

Rama always followed dharma. He would always do what was prescribed in the dharma shastras and follow them even if it gets him for a personal loss. Krishna always did what he thought was dharma. According to him, A nail must be taken by a nail and that it was not wrong to do adharma to beat adharma. But is this right may be the question of many. Each yuga has its own yuga dharma. If Rama's act suited that of treta yuga, dwapara yuga had its own dharma.

Whenever Rama had a war with someone or any army, he would always spare one person who would carry tales to his/her master. For eg., when he killed Thataki, he killed her son subahu too but spared mareecha. This mareecha came as a golden deer later to woo Sita. When he fought the 14000 rakshasas in janasthana, he spared one person called akampana who went and reported to Ravana and so on. But krishna never spared anyone. Whoever came to a war with him would be vanquished completely.

Rama always followed rules of the war and protocols like sending a messenger before the war, giving the opponent a chance to realise etc. But krishna never had any protocol.

Rama never claimed that he is GOD himself. Krishna proclaimed himself as the supreme

Rama never gave sermons to anyone. Krishna took the position of an acahrya in delivering the bagavadgita.

Rama took the entire clan along with him to vaikuntam when his avataram ended. But Krishna went single.

Whichever be the avataram, these two forms have captured all beings. They are being celebrated and held as role models. There is a famous saying that "Act like how Rama has acted and live like how Krishna has preached". This is the way to true happiness